Privacy Policy

Thursday

Although he did not get our nod for the best professional athlete ever to wear the jersey number 29, he does indeed get our nod for the best athlete to ever wear the NFL jersey number 29. He is Eric Dickerson, and he is one of the greatest running backs ever to grace the gridiron.

Dickerson was drafted second overall in the 1983 NFL draft by the Rams out of SMU. He wasted no time becoming an NFL star. He set rookie records for rushing yards (1,808) and rushing touchdowns (18).

This was the beginning of an extremely productive, 11-year, NFL career spent with four separate franchises. He played first for the Rams between the years 1983 to 1987, before being dealt in a three-way trade with Bills, to the Colts during the 1987 season. He finished up with the Colts that year and played with them through the 1991 season. He then spent a year each with the Raiders and the Falcons, which many NFL fans will not recall.

Here are some of the accomplishments from Eric Dickerson's illustrious NFL career:

13,259 career rushing yards

96 career touchdowns

1983 NFL Offensive ROY

Then NFL record 2,105 season rushing yards

2nd All-Time leading rusher when he retired

5 time All-Pro

6 time Pro-Bowler

4 time league leader in rushing yards (3 times with Rams, 1 with Colts)

#29 retired by the Rams

1999 Pro Football Hall of Fame Inductee

Did you know.......Dickerson was the first player in NFL history to gain more than 1,000 yards in seven consecutive seasons?